Hame-fastener



(No ModeL) M. T. BURKE.

HAME FASTENER; No. 315,714. Patented Apr. 14, 1885.

WITNESSES i JAVEJVTOI? MAM QAM Attorney that a slot or opening, b,

' UNITED STATES,

PATENT ruins.

MELANGTHON T. BURKE, OF LA OBOSSE, WISCONSIN.

HAME-FASTENER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 315,714, dated April.14, 1885.

Application filed August 22, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconcern:

Be it known that I, MELANOTHON T. BURKE, of La Crosse, in the county ofLa Crosse and State of W'isconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Hame-Fasteners; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, andto the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.

My present invention relates tothat class of harness-fittings adaptedfor securing together the ends of the hames when placed upon the collar,and it consists, essentially, in combination and arrangements of parts,whereby the said hame-fastener is rendered detachable and adjustable,all as hereinafter more fully described,and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective of myimproved attachment with the fastening-strap partially withdrawn, andFig. 2 a side view of the same with the strap inserted in place. Fig. 3is a View in perspective of the locking plate or fitting, showing inoutline the manner of securing the straps thereto.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate like parts.

My improved heme-fastener is preferably composed of four parts-i. a, twoend clips or hooks, A A, the intermediate locking plate or fitting, B,and the strap 0; but, as indicated hereinafter, it may be made in three,five, or more pieces, as desired or deemed most advantageous. The clip Ais preferably formed with a perforated cross-bar and an openhook, a,thougha-snap-hook maybe used, if desired. The clip A is also providedwith an open hook, a, {or a snap-hook may be used,) and a slightlycurvedextension or tongue, a, perforated, as shown, for the reception of thelocking-pin b. The locking-plate or fitting B is formed, as shown inFig. 3, with a perforated web or cross-bar, I), having the locking-pin12 formed upon or secured thereto, the side bars, b and loop I)". It isdesirable be formed in the forward end of the web I) beneath the loop b,to leave room for the passage of the tongue a.

In uniting the several parts together the strap 0, preferably in onepiece, as shown, is first passed through the open end of the clip A,then bent down or doubled over the crossbar and riveted thereto. Theshorter end of the strap, perforated for the passage of the pin b,isthen fitted within the locking-plate B, the extreme end of the strapresting in the slot 12*. In this position a rivet, if, is insertedthrough both thicknesses of the straps and the interposed web orcross-bar b.

As thus constructed and arranged, the fast ener is ready for use. Theclips A A are first fastened to the eyes or loops formed upon orattached to the haines by bending down the ends of the book. The end ofthe strap is then passed through the opening or loop formedin the hookA, and the two parts are drawn to gether until the tongue a has beenforced the proper distance under the loop 11 of the plate B. As soon asthe desired adjustment is secured, the tongue a is pressed down over thelocking-pin b, and the strap is inserted under the loop 0 thus securelylocking and retaining the parts in their adjusted positions.

To facilitate the passage of the tongue a. when drawing or adjusting thetwo parts to gether, and also to assist in unhitching, it is founddesirable to slightly bevel or round the front edge or corner of thelocking'pin and the rear wall of the slots or openings in the tongue at.This arrangement is found espe cially advantageous in unhitching, as aslight pull on the strap after it is withdrawn from the loop I) willraise the tongue off the locking-pin, thus releasing the clip A. Theclips A A and fitting B are usually made of malleable cast iron; butother suitable materials may be employed.

Instead of employing a. single strap 0 and doubling the same on the clipA, I may use two shorter sections and unite them upon the clip A by therivet in the same way as the doubled strap is there secured, and, ifpreferred, the clip A and fitting B may be made in one piece; but Iprefer to make them separate and unite them by straps, as described, forthe reason that I am thus enabled to obtain a strong and more flexiblefastener, readily applied to hames as ordinarily constructed, andcapable of being quickly and securely adjusted into position and asreadily separated for detachment.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new is 1.- Inahame-fastener, and in combination with the locking-plate B and clip A,as dethe free end of the strap, whereby the clip A.

maybe adjusted and secured within the locking-plate by means of the saidstrap, substantially as described.

3. In a hame-fastener, and in combination with the locking-plate B,provided with the what I loop and beveled locking-pin, the clip A, ro

vided with the perforated tongue inserted beneath the loop, and thetightening-strap inserted between the said loop and tongue, saidlocking-plate B and clip A being provided with means for attachment tothe hames, substantially as described.

4. In a hame' fastener, the combination of locking-plate B, providedwith the loop and c beveled pin, the clip A, strap 0, fastened to thelocking-plate and clip, and the clip A,, provided with an opening forthe strap 0, and a perforated tongue, said tongue being adapted toengage the pin 7), and retained thereon by 35 the strap when drawn underthe loop, substantially as described.

MELANOTHON T. BURKE.

Witnesses:

J. S. MEDARY, A. PLATZ.

